Apparatus for cleaning tubes



Aug. 2, 1932. J. s', A'NTLE 1,869,730

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING TUBES Filu oct. 23, 1951 1v A TTORNEY Patented Aug. 2, 1932 eArsNr orrlfci:

' l JOHN s. ANTLE, or BEXLEY, omo

APPARATUS non CLEANING TUBES Application led vOctober 23, 1931.y Serial No. 571,585.

My invention relates to apparatus `for cleaning tubes. It has to do, more particularly, with an apparatus for -.cleaning foul material from the inner surface of pipes, 5 fines or other similar articles. lIt is especially applicable to the cleaning of boiler flues, but it is not limited thereto.

Heretofore, the method most commonly used for the purpose indicated has been to insert a brush or scraper on the inside of the tube and to reciprocate it therein to dislodge the foul material from the inner surface of the tube. However, when this method Vis used, there is no adequate means for remov- '15 ing the dislodged material. Other devices have been used `for the purpose indicated but most of these have been extremely complicated and costly to manufacture or havebeen possessed of other undesirable features.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a device for cleaning the inner surface of a tube which isextremely simple and e-ective. j v

Another object of my invention is to provide a means for eectively removing foreign matter from the inner surface of a tube and a means for drawing all the foreign'material which is removed from inside of the tube to a point outside of said'tube.

appear as this description progresses.

Invits preferred form, my invention conj templates the provision of a device which is adapted to vbe inserted into va tube or pipe vwhich is,` to'be cleaned. This device comprises a long'tube having a means on one j end thereof for loosening the foreign matter from the inner surface ofthe pipe. Means is provided for confining the loosened material in a chamber, formed at one end ofthe device, and a suct-ion'pump is adapted to withdraw theloosened materialffrom, the

` chamber to a point outside of the tube or pipe. v The preferred embodiment of my inven- Various other objects and advantages will p ,in place by means of bolts 7.

tion is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein similar vcharacters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure l` is a perspective view showing a device embodying my invention being usedto 50 clean a boiler Hue. l

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device embodying my invention.

j Figure 3 is a view partly in section showing my apparatus on the inside ofl the flue and showing how it is adapted to clean the foreign matter therefrom. v

Figure 4L is a section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

, Figure 5 is a view'showing the device em- 60 bodying my invention connected by means of a ieXible hose to a suction pump.

With reference to the drawing, my invention is shown as being used to clean the flues l of a boiler 2. The apparatus which I pref- 6- erably use for doing this comprises a stiff tube member 3 which is adapted to be inserted into the flue 1 andv which isof a considerably less diameter than the flue. A

The tube 3 is `closed at one end by means of a cap 4 which is threaded thereon-or secured thereon in any other suitable manner. The opposite end of the tube 3 is connected by means of a flexible hosev 14 to a vacuum ump 15. i 75 Adjacent the closed end of the tube 3 I have mounted thereon a pair of brushes 5 which are so mounted on the tube that they willnot rotate thereon. The brushes are kept from longitudinal vmovement on .the tube by 'means of collars 6 which are placed at each side of the brush and which may Vbe secured As sho-Wn in the drawing, the brushes are spaced a considerable distance apart and form a chamber 8 therebetween. l further provide a pair of disks 9 which are mounted between" the outer ends of the brushes and the collars Gand are held in place by thesev members. These disks the diameter of the flue or article being cleaned. It will be seen from the drawing that by using these disks the chamber 8 which is formed between the outer ends of the brushes will be substantially closed at both ends. By having the disks of less diameter than that of the flue or article to be cleaned a narrow space is formed between the peripheral surfaces of the disks and the wall of the flue or article to be cleaned. The advantage of this narrow space is to effect the entrance of air to the chamber 8 at a high velocity to thereby effectively strip the foreign matter from the wall of the flue o-r tube being cleaned and from the brushes.

The brushes 5 preferably comprise an annular body portion l which has projecting therefrom the wires 11. These wires are of such length that when the brush is inserted into the flue they will contact with the inner surface of the flue with a sufficient amount of force that when the brush is reciprocated therein it will loosen any foreign material such as soot and scale therefrom.

Each of the brushes is further provided with a series of chiots 12 formed in the base l() of the brush. The tube 3 is also provided with a series of apertures 13 which register with the ducts 12 in the brushes. It will be understood that any number of these ducts and apertures may be provided and it will be further understood that more than two brushes, or a single brush, may be used.

In the operation of my device, the vacuum pump is first started and then the tube 3 is inserted into the flue and is reciprocated therein. The brushes on the tube will exert a scrubbing action on the inner-surface of said flue and will loosen any foreign material therein. This loosened material will be confined in the chamber 8 for a short time andwill then pass through the ducts 12 in the brush and then into the tube 3 through the openings 13 therein, as shown by the arrows in Figure 3. After the material passes into the tube 3 it will be drawn by the vacuum pumpto a point outside of the flue. The disks 9 will be effective to keep substantially all the loosened material in the chamber 8 and will make it possible to create an adeuate vacuum therein. In this manner all t e loosened material can be effectively removed.

It will be understood from the above description that I' have provided a device for the purpose indicated which is extremely simple and effective. It will also be seen that all the foreign material on the inner surface of the tube will be loosened by the brushes and will then be conveyed to a point outside of the flue by the vacuum pump. It will further be understood that although I have shown and described my invention as being used for cleaning boiler flues, it may be used for many other purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. Apparatus for cleaning tubes or the like comprising a device adapted to be inserted into a tube to be cleaned, said device including means adapted to form with the wall of said tube a chamber surrounding said device which is substantially closed at the front and rear thereof, said means being just sufliciently spaced from the wall of said tube to permit the entrance of air to said chamber, and means for creating an effective vacuum in said chamber and for withdrawing the foreign matter therefrom.

v2. Apparatus for cleaning tubes o r the like comprising a device adapted to be inserted into a tube to be cleaned, said device including means adapted to form with the wall of said tube a chamber surrounding said dev ice which is substantially closed at the front and rear thereof, said means being just suliiciently spaced from the wall of said tube to permit the entrance of air to said chamber, means within said chamber and connected to said device for loosening the foreign matter from said tube, and means for creating an effective vacuum in said chamber and for withdrawing the foreign matter therefrom.

3. Apparatus for cleaning tubes or the like comprising a tubular device adapted to be inserted into a tube to be cleaned, said device including means adapted to form with the wall of said tube a chamber surrounding said device which is substantially closed at the front and rear thereof, said means being just suliioiently spaced from the wall of said tube to permit the entrance of air to said chamber, means within said chamber and connected to said device for loosening the foreign matter from said tube, and means for creating an effective vacuum in said chamber and for withdrawing the foreign matter therefrom, said last named means comprising al suction pump connected to said device.

t. Apparatus for cleaning tubes or the like comprising a tubular device adapted to be inserted into a tube to be cleaned and to be reciprocated therein, said device including means adapted to form with the wall of said tube a chamber surrounding said device which is substantially closed at the front and rear thereof, said means being just sufficiently spaced from the wall of said tube toV permit the entrance of air to said chamber, a brush within said chamber and'mounted on said device for loosening the foreign matter from said tube, and suction means for removing the loosened material from said chamber and for conveying it to a point outside of said tube.

5. Apparatus for cleaning tubes or the like comprising a tubular device adapted to beinserted into a tube to be cleaned, said device including means adapted to form with the wall of said tube a chamber surrounding said 

